Live updates

Little Amelie Ring is one of the one-in-a-thousand babies born profoundly deaf. A few weeks ago she had a complex operation to try and help.

Today Amelie and her parents Vicky and Rob made the journey from their home near Holywell to a Manchester hospital - to literally switch on Amelie's hearing and give her a new sense - Rob Shelley was there.

This is the moment little Amelie Ring heard for the first time. The 20 month old from Holywell was born profoundly deaf and underwent an operation to insert bilateral cochlear implants to enable her to hear. Today was the first time her microphones were switched on and she heard her parents' voices.

Advertisement

A baby who was born deaf is set to hear sound for the very first time today.

Amelie Ring from Holywell had an electronic device surgically implanted to enable her to hear for the first time.

In December, surgeons has to postpone plans to insert bilateral cochlear implants after the 20 month old stopped breathing after receiving an anaesthetic.

Last week the implants were put in place and Amelie's mother, Vicky, described said it was a day the family thought they may never see.

Amelie was born at 28 weeks and spent her first 102 days in Glan Clwyd Hospital after suffering major blood loss in her mother's womb. She underwent nine blood transfusions and a heart operation while in hospital.

The Post Office says its 370-branch crown network is losing £37million a year, which cannot be sustained.

The Post Office is committed to keeping branches on high streets across the UK. We know from decades of experience that the best way to do this for 70 of our Crown branches is to partner with a suitable retailer. We have announced our plans to seek a partner with whom to operate our Holywell branch.

In Wales we are seeking partners to help run our branches in Holyhead, Llangefni, Holywell, Rhyl, Port Talbot, Neath, Morriston (Swansea) and Carmarthen. There are currently 20 Crown Post Offices in Wales out of a network of over 950 branches, therefore around 98% of the total network in Wales already operate successfully through franchises and agreements with retailers of this type.

Delyn MP David Hanson will be among the speakers at this evening's meeting. He says the future of Wales' crown post offices needs to be protected.

I'm concerned about the impact the changes to the Crown Post Office might have for its staff and the local community it serves in Holywell, as post offices are often vital for local people.

People across North Wales really value their Post Offices and want to be able to access a range of services like motor vehicle licences, passport check and send services, bureau de change and to receiving appropriate advice and assistance for these documents.

So the announcement of changes by the Post Office raises the real prospect that these services may no longer be easily available to local people.

The UK government claim to have no planned closure programme, but this would seem somewhat like closure and reduction of services by stealth, so the government must answer how the future of the 20 Crown Post Offices branches across Wales are to be protected.

– David Hanson MP - Labour, Delyn

Holywell High Street has been struggling in recent years and the Post Office is a key attraction which draws people into the town centre. With superstores such as Tesco on the outskirts of the town, if the Post Office was to be lost from this location other local retailers would lose out.

There are ways to keep this office open and we're calling on the company to listen to the views of its staff and customers. We're urging as many local residents as possible to come along to this meeting to have a say in the future of their local services.

Holywell's Crown Post Office is one of eight being considered for franchise Credit: Rui Vieira/PA Wire

Campaigners against plans to franchise Holywell's Crown Post Office will hold a public meeting later.

The High Street branch is one of eight being considered for franchise out of 20 Crown Post Offices across Wales - leaving 12 by 2015.

The Post Office said it is committed to keeping branches on high streets across the UK, pointing out that around 98% of the total network in Wales already operate successfully through franchises and agreements with retailers.

But Communication Workers Union, the trade union representing staff working in Crown Post Offices, says Post Offices are 'key attractions' in town centres and believes there are ways to keep Holywell's open.

A petition has also been signed by thousands of people objecting to the plans.